Smoke producing agent for use with golf balls



Patented Aug. 18, 1931 PATENT OFFICE RICHARD W. BATES, OF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA SMOKE PRODUCING AGENT FOR USE WITH GOLF BALLS No Drawing.

.This invention relates to a smoke producing compound, and more particularly to a substance which is capable of producing or evolving smoke at a predetermined time 6 after it has been applied or released for use.

It has long been recognized that some means for indicating the lie of a golf ball in the rough would be extremely desirable 10 in order to speed up the game and to give confidence to the player, and it has been proposed to apply to a .ball various compounds which it was hoped would indicate its presence from a distance by sight or scent in a satisfactory manner. Certain of such substances heretofore proposed, however, have been unsatisfactory if not completely inoperative since the indicating medium, if operative at all, would be most active at the time the player was addressing the ball. He would thus be under the necessity of addressing a cloud of smoke or of smell more or less objectionable, the effect of which medium would be dissipated long be- 25 fore any advantage could be taken thereof. Certain other media have been proposed of a pyrotechnic or poisonous nature or both, but obviously such substances could not be safely handled or stored, nor would they be allowed on any course where inflammable materials might be encountered. Other substances suggested for the above purpose are of such a character as to damage the surface of the ball.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a smoke producing agent or compound which is particularly adapted for use in indicating the location of a hidden or difficulty visible object such as a golf ball.

Another object of the invention is to provide means of the above character which is non-explosive, non-inflammable and substantially non-poisonous, and which is not injurious tothe object to which it may be applied.

A further object is to provide a smoke producing agent which will become effective 50 at a substantially predetermined interval of Application filed January 16, 1929. Serial No. 333,027.

time after it has been applied to an object such as a golf ball.

While the smoke producing solution of the present invention is particularly adapted for use in locating golf balls in the 5 rough, and will be described with this particular end in view, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but the same is applicable to a wide variety of uses.

According to the present invention a compound is applied, to the ball which comprises an indicator in the form of a substantially non-poisonous, non-corrosive and non-inflammable substance which will evolve a clearly visible smoke or fume at a moderate rate, for an adequate time and without the evolution of heat, and a second substance which acts as a retarding agent for the first, and causes the evolution of smoke to take place mainly after the ball has come to rest at the end of its flight.

Various substances have been prepared which possess the above indicating properties, in particular certain metallic chlorides 7 which fume on exposure to theair, such as the tetrachlorides of titanium, tin and silicon, and the chlorides of metalloids such as arsenic and antimony. I have discovered suitable retarding agents for these indicators in certain volatile organic substances which are soluble in the indicating medium and by their presence retard or prevent the fuming thereof. In particular it has been found that the addition of a small amount of ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, carbon disulphid, turpentine, carbon tetrachloride or acetone to the indicator will delay the functioning thereof until the retarding agent has largely evaporated, and that the delay 9 is regulatable and may be predetermined by selecting a retarding agent of suitable volatility, and by varying the percentage thereof in the compound.

A preferred compound of this character which has been found to be satisfactory in use comprises about 75% of liquid titanium tetrachloridewith about 25% by volume of a retarding agent such-as acetone. A quantity of thls compound is placed in a suitable air-tight atomizer, and since it is safe and unobjectionable in every way, it may become a standard element of the golf kit.

In use, after a ball is teed up for a drive,

it is sprayed with the compound and the player proceeds to address and drive the ball as usual. During the flight of the ball, the retarding agent evaporates so that on a long drive the evolution of smoke may begin during the flight and cause a tracer action to take place. This action may be increased if desired by reducing the percentage of the retarding agent, or by using a more volatile retarding agent.

The evolution of smoke continues until the indicating medium is exhausted, thus giving ample indication of the lie ofthe ball without continuing so long as 'to interfere with the next stroke. The duration of the smoke signal may be regulated by selecting that indicating substance of the above character which hasthe most suitable rate of activity, and by varying the amount of compound applied to the ball.

It will be seen that there is here provided a novel means for indicating the location of inconspicuous objects such as golf balls, which effectively fulfills the objects of the invention above stated. It is to be understood that although a specific compound has been disclosed as the preferred embodiment, that the invention is not limited to that embodiment, but that changes may be made in the composition and proportions thereof within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A compound of the character described comprising approximately of liquid titanium tetrachloride combined with approximately 25% by volume of a volatile retarding agent.

2. Means for indicating the location of an inconspicuous object comprising a liquid coating to be applied to the surface of said object, said coating containing a fuming metallic chloride and an organic solvent retarding agent.

3. smoke producing solution of the class described containing liquid titanium tetrachloride and an organic solvent retarding agent.

4. A compound of the character described comprising approximately 75% of liquid titanium tetrachloride combined with approximately 25% by volume of acetone.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

RICHARD W. BATES. 

